County's three synagogues expand programs to meet educational needs

The Jewish population in Anne Arundel County is small -- less than 3 percent of the county's religious population. But all three synagogues are expanding their educational programs. Ellyn Kaufman, Kneseth Israel's education director, said the new programs are aimed at two groups: families that are not affiliated with congregations, and those that are but are looking for new options. Kneseth Israel was originally Orthodox; it's now unaffiliated but traditional. The center's classes for students from kindergarten through seventh grade meet twice a week. After seventh grade, students turn to youth activities such as making blankets for homeless children.

Kelcie Pegher, kpegher@capgaznews.com

Two years ago, Amy Applestein was having doubts about her synagogue. Kneseth Israel's congregation was getting older, Applestein said, and the family activities weren't up to her standards. She wanted to make sure her twin 9-year-old girls would get the right education.

She checked out the other area synagogues: Kol Shalom in Annapolis and Beth Shalom in Arnold. Her family attended Beth Shalom for a year before moving back to Kneseth Israel, which is in Annapolis.

"I explored all three because I had to find my niche," Applestein said.

And she has.

This year Ellyn Kaufman, Kneseth Israel's education director, came on board and changed the Sunday school program by opening a Jewish Education Center.

This is an expanded program to teach Jewish students about their culture and the Hebrew language. The organizers expected the program to begin with 15 or 20 students, but 45 have enrolled so far this year.

The Jewish population in Anne Arundel County is small — less than 3 percent of the county's religious population. But all three synagogues are expanding their educational programs.

Kaufman said the new programs are aimed at two groups: families that are not affiliated with congregations, and those that are but are looking for new options.

Kneseth Israel was originally Orthodox; it's now unaffiliated but traditional. The center's classes for students from kindergarten through seventh grade meet twice a week. After seventh grade, students turn to youth activities such as making blankets for homeless children.

This year the educational program is experimenting with changes in curriculum, Kaufman said.

"Instead of just learning about matzo, they get down and make their own matzo for Passover," she said.

There is also a new music director — Shouvik Mondle, who has experience on Broadway, and will be leading a children's chorus that will be performing at the high holidays this year.

Mondle, who also gives private voice lessons, said deciding to move to Annapolis was easy — he was ready to move on from New York, but still wanted to be close enough to visit.

Applestein said her children are excited to attend school at JEC.

"I've always told people for many, many, many years KI is a wonderful synagogue, it's a wonderful atmosphere, but it needs a face-lift. Ellyn (Kaufman) fits the bill perfectly. She's giving it the face-lift it needs."

Meanwhile, Kol Shalom, a Conservative synagogue, is expanding its early education with a pre-school program that will be ready by June.

"What we're finding now is there are a lot of unaffiliated Jewish families in the Annapolis area, and they assimilate into Annapolitan society and don't always know if there's a place for them if they don't feel comfortable in a synagogue," said Sue Westenburger, Kol Shalom's education director.

The synagogue broke ground last week on a $2.1 million renovation that will include a nondenominational pre-school: Tree of Life Pre-school at Kol Shalom. Plans call for it to open for summer camp in June and begin its first pre-school year in the fall.

The current building will expand by 2,644 square feet in order to add improvements for classrooms, a media room and administrative offices.

Though the pre-school will be nondenominational, Westenburger said, children will learn about Jewish holidays. The school plans to accept 24 students.

There are just a handful of students at the new program at Beth Shalom, which this year is expanding religious programs for 11th- and 12th-graders, Rabbi Ari Goldstein said.

"We're creating kind of a Hebrew high school," Goldstein said.

There will be elective classes, with options including instruction on the history of the Middle East conflict and Jewish philosophers, cooking and films.

Beth Shalom, a Reform synagogue, has few students ready for the classes right now. But it's only the beginning of the school year, Goldstein said.

The synagogue has about 220 students in the religious programs overall.

"You have to take risks and take chances, knowing it's right to do," Goldstein said.

The school wants to offer online tours of Israel with scholars and teachers, said Adina Newman, the educational director.

It is also adding programs geared to special-needs students.

"We want them to be proud of who they are, be proud of their Judaism, build a sense of Jewish community and use the tools that are working within education and make them happen," Newman said.